A partnership of three community organisations has been awarded up to £1 million over three years to support grassroots groups across Northern Ireland. Co-operation Ireland, Rural Action and NICVA will use the funding from the Northern Ireland Office's Community Partnership Fund to launch the 'On the Radar: Pathways to Stronger Communities' project.

The initiative aims to engage hundreds of grassroots groups, providing tailored support that ranges from initial workshops to intensive mentoring for 30 core organisations and training on accessing funding for up to 500 groups.

Speaking at the launch event at Co-operation Ireland's Belfast headquarters, Northern Ireland Office Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Baroness Ruth Anderson said the grant would help the three organisations become a single point of access for the voluntary and community sector. She said the fund would be key to building a network of skills, knowledge and support.

Co-operation Ireland said smaller grassroots groups often fall below the radar when it comes to accessing funding and development opportunities, and that the programme would help bring their work into view and empower people through their ambitions and ideas.

NICVA said it was proud to be working with the other two organisations, bringing together knowledge of the voluntary and community sector and expertise in organisational development, governance, funding and sustainability. It said too many grassroots groups make an invaluable contribution without access to the skills, resources and opportunities needed to realise their full potential.

Rural Action said rural communities are sustained by the dedication of local volunteers and community organisations, but groups working to improve lives can find themselves overlooked or face barriers to accessing funding and development support. It welcomed the focus on engaging and supporting rural community groups to build their capacity to deliver services in their local areas.